Configure Intelligent Global Search

Intelligent Global Search uses Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP), a general purpose scripting language, and MySQL Natural Language Understanding (NLU) search facilities. Searching is based on Python, the engine that receives a user request. With the help of Natural Language, the engine combines different forms of words and parts of speech in the search argument to produce an accurate and contextual base word ; i.e., a lemma. The lemma is then used to return the most relevant results to meet the user's request.

Examples of words and their base form (lemma) that typically have a similar contextual meaning:

  • going > go
  • sales > sale
  • is > be  

Intelligent Search works with different types of Search Entities; i.e., objects in Metric Insights.  Search results can be grouped by:

  • Default:  "All", "Tiles", "Datasets", "Bursts", Data Sources, and Datasets tabs
  • Category:  "All", existing Categories, and Datasets are shown as tabs
  • Content Type:  "All", "Metric", "Dataset Report", other existing content types, and Datasets that are displayed as tabs

The search includes metadata about Search Entities; i.e., information that is searched across Names, Descriptions, Categories, Tags, and Custom Fields, but not the data that they contain. The system relies on metadata when locating Objects (except for Datasets) that meet the search criteria.

For Datasets, additional information about columns to be included is defined during the Search Setup process. It is important to remember that only MySQL is supported for searching across Datasets.

To understand Searching, see this article.

In Release 6.2.1, additional functionality was made available:

  • "Recent requests and opened items" are displayed in the Search suggestion form.
  • Users are informed when indexing is in progress.
  • A Voice Search option is supported.
  • Documents are included in the Search and can be located by Document  Name, file name, or URL
  • The Data Source tab contains External References and External Reports only.

In Release 6.4.2, Global Search supports partial search which has been made possible thanks to sublemmas. This means that a search for "sal" will provide results for "sales"; however, to return results, a search term must include at least three letters that appear in the same order as in the desired search result. For example, "sal" will return "sales" while "sla" won't.

Examples of words and their sublemmas:

  • daily > dail, aily, dai, ail ily
  • tableau > tablea, ableau, table, ablea, bleau, tabl, able, blea, leau, tab, abl, ble, lea, eau

Partial search has some limitations:

NOTE: The system updates at 12:30 each day. If you want to see changes to search setup during the same day, you need to update search indexes manually.

Access Admin > System > System Variables

System Variables are list of configuration parameters in the system that allow a particular value; e.g., Y or N, to be assigned in order to enable or disable a selected feature of the system.

  1. Set the GLOBAL_SEARCH_USE_DATA_ANALYZER Variable to "Y".
  2. Voice Search is not enabled by default. Set the ENABLE_VOICE_SEARCH Variable to "Y" to enable it.
  3. [Commit Changes]

2. Basic Search SetupĀ 

Access Admin > System > Search Setup > Setup

2.1. Define Basic Settings

  1. Display Global Search in Top Navigation Bar: Disables/Enables Global Search
  2. Select one or all types of entities to be included in the search
  3. Choose the manner by which Search Results are to be grouped on the page:
    1. Default:  "All", "Tiles", "Datasets", "Bursts", Data Sources, and included Datasets tabs
    2. Category: "All" and existing Categories
    3. Content Type:  "All", other existing content types, and included Datasets
  4. Open all links in new tab: Enables/Disables opening links from the search results page in a new tab
7.1.0 Update

The Use Concierge for Global Search checkbox is deselected by default. When it is selected, the Concierge service is used for the Global Search queries answers. Check the Configure Concierge section for more details.

2.2. Add Data Sources and Datasets

  1. Include Data Sources to enable search across objects retrieved from these Data Sources but not only Elements created from them.
    • These objects will appear in search as links to objects in the corresponding BI tool.
  2. Specify Datasets to enable search across its data.

2.3. Add Search Aliases

Aliases are alternatives/abbreviations for frequently-searched terms.

  1. Search Alias Method: Select either to add Search Aliases manually, or upload them from a Dataset
    • Search Alias Dataset: Select a Dataset from which to upload Aliases
  2. [+ New Search Alias] to add Alias manually

NOTE: After changing the Search Alias Method to "Dataset" and adding a Dataset, the aliases from the Dataset will replace the previously uploaded aliases. However, after changing the Search Alias Method back to "Manual", the aliased uploaded from the Dataset will remain.

3. Advanced Search Setup

Access Admin > System > Search Setup > Info > Advanced Search Tuning

You can customize scoring of Search Entities and their Objects. Score(1) is a number that defines the search relevance of a search result. The higher the score, the higher the ranking. For more information on search rate calculation, see this article.

Each Search Entity or Object available from the drop-down(2) goes with its own set of parameters(3), and by adjusting the default score(4) of parameters, you can adjust the total score(1) of a given Search Entity or Object.

Using Testbench(5), you can see how ranking of a given search query changes based on adjustments applied to the score of individual parameters.

NOTE: Once you finish adjusting, you need to [Update All Search Indexes](6) to apply changes.
Go back to the Search Setup screen to view the indexing progress.

Metric Insights supports searching data across external tools that are set up for search under Search Setup > External Tools.

NOTE: Search External Tools can be configured only in versions up to 7.0.2. From version 7.1.0 and further search through External Tools is no more available due to changes in the way Search works.

  1. [+New Tool]
  2. Enter a display Name for the tool
  3. Specify the External Tool URL
    • NOTE: The URL must be configured to send search requests via a parameter.
  4. Specify Behavior for External Tool:
    • Open the tool in a separate tab
    • Embed the tool in Metric Insights
  5. Optionally, upload Tool icon
  6. [Save]

Users can now conduct search via external tools by clicking the respective tool label.

5. Configure Concierge

The Concierge Tab is available only if the ENABLE_CONCIERGE System Variable is set to "Y".

Concierge is a chatbot integrated into Metric Insights. It is designed to help Users get along with the platform, find different objects, and answer questions they may have about how the functionality works. It can be used on a separate Apps or via Slack/MS Teams chatbot. From 7.1.0 version, Concierge can also be used via a Sidebar, that opens after clicking the icon on the Title Bar of a Floating Button in the lower right corner of the page.

For more information on Concierge and its installation, refer to Configuring Concierge Service.